Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Boys Report Week 10
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 3, 2025
We are only three weeks away from the start of MHSAA Boys Basketball District Tournaments, and just under two weeks away from publishing those brackets – and movement up and down statewide Michigan Power Ratings (MPR) lists should continue to be captivating as we advance on our Feb. 16 pairings announcement.
Among notable risers over the last week were Romulus Summit Academy North in Division 2 and Fowler in Division 4, and we highlight both below along with several more continuing to make a hard drive toward pole position for the start of the postseason.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 49, Grand Rapids Northview 48 Even without injured all-stater Trey McKenney, St. Mary’s (10-6) can play with the elite and edged a good one in Northview (12-4) at the Red Hawk Showcase at Aquinas College.
2. Adrian Madison 43, Onsted 37 The Trojans, just 10-13 a year ago, moved into a tie for first in the Lenawee County Athletic Association at 12-3 overall by handing Onsted (15-1) its only defeat.
3. Elk Rapids 56, Harbor Springs 39 The Elks (12-4) avenged a 61-59 loss to Harbor Springs (12-3) from Jan. 10 to move into first alone in the Northern Shores Conference.
4. Detroit Cass Tech 77, Grand Rapids Christian 62 (OT) Cass Tech (14-1) forced overtime during the final seconds of regulation, then pulled away from the Eagles (9-7) in overtime of this game at Aquinas.
5. Cadillac 60, Traverse City West 53 Cadillac (11-4) handed West its only Big North Conference loss and put itself in strong position to at least share the title with three league games left (and one BNC loss as well) compared to five games remaining for the Titans (12-2).
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Detroit Martin Luther King (14-3) The Crusaders enter this week’s Detroit Public School League Tournament coming off a third-place finish in the PSL Blue but still definitely a favorite for the city championship. League losses came by two points to champion Renaissance (10-7) and eight to second-place Cass Tech (14-1) in mid-December. The third defeat came at the end of November to Illinois state contender Chicago Kenwood Academy. In the meantime, King has defeated nonleague Birmingham Groves (12-5), Saginaw United (13-5), Auburn Hills Avondale (11-6), Kalamazoo Central (12-2), Flint Carman-Ainsworth (11-4) and most recently Grand Rapids Catholic Central (10-5).
Muskegon (14-2) The Big Reds are in pursuit of a fourth-straight Ottawa-Kent Conference Green title and lead after sharing the championship with Mona Shores a year ago. Muskegon also has loaded its nonleague schedule again and is the only team to defeat East Lansing (16-1), with other solid wins over Hudsonville (12-3), Green second-place Byron Center (12-5) and over the weekend Ann Arbor Huron (12-4). The two losses – Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (16-1) and Warren Lincoln (12-4) – no doubt provided good looks as well. The Byron Center rematch is Friday, and dates against Grand Blanc and Kalamazoo Central also are notable coming up.
DIVISION 2
Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (13-2) The Chargers are in Division 2 this season after reaching the Division 3 Quarterfinals a year ago. Playing as an independent, they continue to line up strong opponents from all four divisions – four teams with double-digit wins highlight the remaining schedule, topped by North Muskegon (14-0) and Schoolcraft (12-4). Covenant is coming off a big win over Bellaire (13-4), with another over Allendale (11-4) also popping off the page and losses to Hudsonville Unity Christian (16-1) and reigning Division 4 champion Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (13-2) smart plays for postseason prep. Unity and Allendale are in the same District bracket.
Romulus Summit Academy North (16-2) The Dragons enter this week’s Charter School Conference Tournament after earning the Gold championship and did so winning all 10 of their league games by double digits including in handing last season’s Division 3 runner-up Detroit Old Redford (14-1) its only defeat. Summit’s only losses were to Walled Lake Central (15-3) and East Lansing, and the Dragons also have league wins over Detroit University Prep (13-5) and Detroit Lincoln-King (12-6) and nonleague victories over Renaissance and Groves. University Prep and Old Redford were two of three teams to hand Summit losses during its 22-3 run last season.
DIVISION 3
Centreville (13-1) The Bulldogs are undefeated against Michigan opponents, their only loss to an Indiana team, and coming off three wins last week including a 59-50 defeat of Hartford (13-2) that left Centreville in first alone in the Southwest 10 Conference as it pursues a repeat title. The rematch is Feb. 18, and the Bulldogs also have swept White Pigeon (10-5). Wednesday’s game at Schoolcraft will be a great nonleague test after defeating Centreville last season.
Riverview Gabriel Richard (15-2) The Pioneers are building toward a potential big finish again after reaching the Division 3 Semifinals a year ago. They’ve won 10 straight, and during this run handed Jackson Lumen Christi an 88-65 loss that not only was the Titans’ only defeat but eventually decided the Catholic High School League AA title. The losses were to Division 1 Grand Blanc (10-6) and Division 2 Flint Powers Catholic (14-0), both during December, and this winning streak also includes a 79-58 win over Division 1 Flint Carman-Ainsworth (11-4).
DIVISION 4
Fowler (15-2) The Eagles opened this season with a 62-59 victory over reigning Division 4 champ Tri-unity Christian and haven’t looked back, with 13 wins by at least 12 points. Fowler will have a chance Tuesday to avenge its first loss this winter, 51-49 to rival Pewamo-Westphalia from Dec. 18, and doing so would make the Eagles and Pirates tied atop the Central Michigan Athletic Conference with four league games remaining for both. Fowler’s other loss came to Division 2 Fruitport (13-3), and wins over Fulton (11-5) and Division 2 Marshall also have provided nice bumps.
Norway (12-4) A 65-64 win over Stephenson last week kept Norway in position to share the Skyline Central Conference large-school championship with Munising, which the Knights fell to in their season opener. The big test will be Crystal Falls Forest Park on Feb. 11 – the Trojans handed Munising their lone league loss and already defeated Norway nonleague Jan. 2. The Knights’ other losses were to Iron Mountain (14-2) and West Iron County, but they bounced back from the latter by downing Kingsford (11-3) and Stephenson (10-6) for the second time, and they also are benefitting from an early win over Felch North Dickinson (12-5).
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Detroit U-D Jesuit (16-1) at Warren Lincoln (12-4) – This has become one of the most anticipated matchups of this entire regular season, with the Cubs rising to become one of the top contenders in Division 1 and Lincoln sharp again after winning Division 2 last year.
Tuesday – Oxford (16-0) at Lake Orion (13-5) – The Wildcats can pull away a little more comfortably from second-place Lake Orion in the Oakland Activities Association Red, or the Dragons can avenge Oxford’s 57-37 win from Jan. 3 and move into position to share the title.
Tuesday – Beal City (12-3) at McBain (13-1) – Beal City’s 57-48 win in their first meeting remains McBain’s only loss, and the result of this rematch could eventually decide the Highland Conference title.
Friday – Lansing Waverly (14-2) at East Lansing (16-1) – East Lansing is first and Waverly second in the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue thanks to the Trojans’ 75-65 win in their first meeting Dec. 19.
Friday – Bad Axe (13-3) at Millington (14-1) – These two are tied atop the Big Thumb Conference White standings with Bad Axe having won their first meeting 60-54 on Jan. 15.
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PHOTOS (Top) A Mount Pleasant defender works to block Cortez Porter’s path to the basket during the Oilers’ recent 52-45 win over Davison. (Middle) Negaunee's Brady Mager (4) tries to wall off Marquette's Ford Richardson (11) as Richardson drives during his team’s Dec. 10 win over the Miners. (Davison/Mount Pleasant photo by Terry Lyons. Negaunee/Marquette photo by Cara Kamps.)
Forest Park Working to Make Most of Every Second in Drive to Return Downstate
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
March 3, 2026
CRYSTAL FALLS — The Crystal Falls Forest Park boys basketball team appears to be on a mission as it progresses through the postseason.
Forest Park is fresh from earning its third-consecutive Division 4 District basketball title with a 73-38 defeat of Norway on Friday in Crystal Falls.
The Trojans (19-4) resume at 5 p.m. (CST) tonight when they face Felch North Dickinson in a Regional Semifinal at Kingsford.
“(North Dickinson has) a real good team,” Forest Park coach Jason Price said. “Nothing’s easy in the tournaments.”
The teams split during the regular season with North Dickinson taking a 57-55 decision at Crystal Falls on Jan. 20 and the Trojans rolling past the Nordics 77-39 on at North Dickinson on Feb. 2.
Junior Vic Guiliani, an all-state selection last winter who missed his junior football season due to a torn meniscus, returned to the Trojans’ basketball lineup shortly after the holidays.
“It feels real good to be back,” he said. “It took a lot of work to get back. It took a couple games to get back into the flow.
It also feels good to get three (District titles) in a row. We feel very lucky. Not every team can do that.”
The Trojans opened their postseason journey with an 80-38 triumph at Powers North Central last Wednesday, scoring four players in double digits in each District game.
A year ago, they reached the Division 4 Semifinals at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center, where they fell to eventual champion Wyoming Tri-unity Christian 67-46.
In 2024, Forest Park bowed to St. Ignace 68-51 in a Quarterfinal contest at Gladstone.
This year’s Trojans, with no seniors in the lineup, was led by junior Dax Huuki’s 23 points in Friday’s District Final.
They are wearing T-shirts which have “1920” printed below their team logo.
“That’s on there because that’s the number of seconds there are in a basketball game,” Huuki said. “That’s the type of effort we need all the time.
“This feels good. We worked hard for this all season. Coach told us to settle down and play our game.”
Forest Park turned the ball over just five times in Wednesday’s District opener and committed 10 turnovers in Friday’s championship contest. The Trojans know they’ll need to continue taking care of the ball tonight.
“They have three big guys,” Guiliani said. “They played in the state football finals last fall. They have some real good athletes. We’re playing unselfish basketball. I think we’re the most dangerous when we’re in a fast-paced game and hitting shots. We can also slow it down.”
Norway attempted to slow the pace early in Friday’s contest. The Trojans, however, led 36-20 at halftime and picked it up even more in the second half.
Huuki also has plenty of respect for the Nordics.
“They work as hard in the summer as we do,” he said. “The first game with them was hard. We just tried to learn from that. We have to play the way we know we can. We grew up together and know each other and how we play. Communication is so important.”
Tonight’s winner advances to Thursday’s Regional Final at Negaunee to face the winner of today’s Wakefield-Marenisco/Dollar Bay contest.
“These juniors have played together their whole lives,” Price said. “These are hard-working kids. They put the time in during the offseason. We settled in and played very unselfish again (Friday). We’re defending very well.”
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTOS (Top) Crystal Falls Forest Park's Vic Giuliani makes a move to get around Marquette's Halen McCollum and take a shot during a loss to the Sentinels on Feb. 17 at Northern Michigan University. (Middle) Trojans coach Jason Price talks to his team between the third and fourth quarters against Marquette. (Below) Forest Park's Dax Huuki goes up for two against Marquette's Carter Fierstine at the Vandament Arena. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)